California Gov. Gavin Newsom to Sign Bill to Create Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund

EDF statement from Pablo Garza, California Political Director, Ecosystems

(SACRAMENTO, CA – July 24, 2019) Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to sign legislation today to allocate up to $130 million a year to provide safe and affording drinking water to all Californians. The bill, SB 200, authored by Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel) creates the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund to support projects to clean up contaminated drinking water and help cash-strapped rural water districts. Approximately 1 million Californians lack access to safe drinking water today, seven years after California became the first state in the country to legislatively recognize that every human has the right to safe, clean and affordable water.

“Today marks an important milestone toward providing clean and affordable water to all Californians. We commend Gov. Newsom for making clean water one of his highest priorities and Sen. Monning for his persistence in moving this legislation across the finish line.

Now that we have overcome this funding hurdle, it’s time to move quickly and provide long-overdue assistance to communities whose water systems have failed as a result of drought and groundwater over-pumping. These communities have been ignored for far too long.”

  • Pablo Garza, California Political Director, Ecosystems, Environmental Defense Fund

One of the world’s leading international nonprofit organizations, Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org) creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships. With more than 3 million members and offices in the United States, China, Mexico, Indonesia and the European Union, EDF’s scientists, economists, attorneys and policy experts are working in 28 countries to turn our solutions into action. Connect with us on Twitter @EnvDefenseFund

Media Contact

Ronna Kelly
(415) 293-6161